“It’s just a test, like any other. You can do it!” Encouraged Varisa.

Nadia had never felt this nervous before, not even facing certain death. She responded hesitantly. “Yeah. Just a test.”

A group of noble youth, bunched up in front of the classroom hindered their passage.

“How much for a pass?” Asked a kid with colorful clothing and excessive facial hair. It made him sort of look like a circus monkey.

By some unknown mean they had heard of Varisa’s connection with baron von Estlugvael, and concluded the worst as evidenced by their word. Usually, she would have passed them without a look, but they had indirectly insulted Oto with their insinuation, and that would not pass.

She turned to face the boy with feigned surprise (In case anyone was wondering, her acting had not gotten any better). “Whose monkey is it and who’s the ventriloquist?”

The smile disappeared on the boy face; he was very touchy about his facial hair.

“You almost got me there! It is a puppet, right? There is no way a beast this ugly can be real.” It was neither particularly funny nor clever, but every chance to laugh at the other side’s expense was welcomed.

“Damn ugly bitch, go back to your forest!” Shouted back the boy in outrage.

“Shouldn’t you the one to go back, though? But to answer your question, I have no intention to pay for your services, no matter the price. Don’t you own a mirror? Get a good look at yourself; you’re in no shape to whore yourself.”

It got even more laughs than the first time, including from his allies.

Sanding at the edge of the crowd was a boy who hadn’t let out a sound during the exchange. His stare was fixed on Nadia from as he caressed his left hand. There was no anger, no fury, but fearful eyes unnerved her more than any insult from his friends. She hurriedly stepped into the classroom to escape the sight.

On each desk was a stack of paper and when the bell ran, the teacher told them to start.

She read the questions.

Write a lesser spell that improve the fertility in a sandy ground.

She didn’t know. She should have, but nothing came to mind.

Write a spell to cleanse water.

It was an easy spell she used daily but once again she was unable to write anything down.

Write a spell to light a streetlight.

Streetlight? She couldn’t remember an example like this in the book... Maybe something they studied in class.

Write a spell to summon drinkable water.

She somewhat remembered a spell to extract water from the air and ground, but the wording eluded her.

Write a spell to bring water to ebullition.

This, she knew by heart! She and Varisa had devised a series of spell to meet every kind of needs, from heating bath to boiling a cup of tea. She wrote down the answer with heartfelt assurance, and the fog which had taken over her mind cleared.

It felt so evident now, but every lighting spell was the same. She wrote down her answer. The water summoning and cleansing spells quickly followed suit.

Time flew by, her confidence grew with each question answered and before long, it was the end.

“I thought my heart would stop when I saw you look dazedly at your copy.” Confided Varisa

“I’ve answered all fifty questions but...” her voiced trailed with uncertainty.

“But?” She knew the answer because she felt the same.

“... I’ve lost all confidence in my answers.”

As expected, they were the same. “I am not so sure of my own answer, either.” In her heart she knew most people could not memorize a hundred of complex spells alongside the system and the natural philosophy to make them work. “Don’t worry, even if we both fail. I’ll make it work, even if I have to teach you myself.” Varisa hadn’t stopped writing a spell book for their, and she didn’t even like them.

“Thank you.” Life and people were so much more agreeable here.

“Don’t worry, you’re going to pass.” Affirmed Maisie, a classmate. She was a cute but serious girl with long dark hair and an inherited penchant to create useful connection.

“See you next week, Nadia.” Affirmed Aurelia reassuringly.

“Considering the opposition, IT probably couldn’t answer anything besides ITS name.” Ria hatred the Hopeless was very personal as her fiancé was a second year ‘mongrel’.

“I can’t wait to see the bastards weep and whine when they kick him out.” Joked Sylvester. Or maybe not. For once in a blue moon, he sounded serious.

Even Gerald Myar, who seemed like to hold a grudge against her, stuttered out some reassuring words. “You can… do it!”

Almost all classmates offered words of encouragement and Nadia felt a bit ashamed that she couldn’t remember their name. “Thank you. All of you.”

It was a such a nice moment it tugged at Auer’s cynical heart.

But the moment passed, and her stress came back with a vengeance. Unable to watch her friend freak out any longer, Varisa invited her to a hunt.

“What kind of hunt?” With less than three days before them, there were very few options available, none of them interesting.

She hadn’t thought this far, but she had a solution. “Remember the Tavern we ate when we first arrived? The owner works as informant and intermediary. He’s a pretty useful guy to have around and I’m sure he’ll find us something.”

“Um…What do they do exactly?” The words were pretty obscure, so it was little surprise she didn’t know either.

“Bhurke’s making uses of his relations from his time as a hunter to intercede between hunters and clients. He’s knowledgeable about the market, the geography, the whereabout of monsters and the method to hunt them. Like I said, very useful”

“Excellent!” As someone who already had trouble shopping, client negotiation was far beyond her.

“Let us go then; we might as well eat there while we’re at it.”

As they approached the tavern, they felt something was off.

“I can’t feel a single warrior.” pointed Nadia.

Since Varisa only ever went a night, she had no way to know but, The Hunting Lodge was hardly befitting its name at any other time. She looked around in confusion. “It’s like an entirely different… What’s going on?” She quickly approached the counter to enquire. “Is Bhurke around?”

“Who’s asking?” The young woman manning the counter didn’t seem to appreciate the question or the one asking for that matter.

“Sorry. I should have introduced myself. I’m Varisa, I was acquainted to Bhurke by Baron Estlugvael.”

“Sorry,” She clearly wasn’t. “Doesn’t ring a bell. Wait until tonight if you really need to meet with my old man.”

Varisa noted the condescending tone and the fact she’d failed introduce herself in return. She truly had no love for her father or anyone he associated with.

“Nadia, what do you think about today special?” Suddenly asked Varisa to deescalate the tension.

Although lacking in comparison to their usual meals, the unfamiliar garnish looked scrumptious. “Fine by me.”

“Two specials and two glasses of your best wine.” Ordered Varisa, putting easily ten time the money as was needed. The look on the woman’s face softened a little. “Do you offer the same informant service as your father?”

“Three silver pennies and clients’ information, two for job information, miscellaneous information is on a case by case. The intermediary services are available only with Father.”

“Flat rates?” Bhurke was all about commission, unless he didn’t trust the other party. “Can you point me to some prey with regular demand, but within fifteen hours of travel from the capital by cart.”

“Nearby and lucrative? Do you want you quarry to jump quartered and clean into your arms?” Ridiculed the daughter.

“It’s neither about money, nor challenge. Anything is fine really.”

“If you’re not choosy, then you should definitely try Aurochs. There’s a herd grazing up north, at the Ode and Elbe’s confluent. It’s about half a day’ up travel by carriage. That’ll be two silver pennies, thank you.”

“Anything to be on the lookout for?”

“They’re big and there’s a lot of them. You’ll know when you see them. That’ll be another silver penny if you please.” She received the request sum. “If that’s all you need, I’d like to go back to my actual job.”

“Don’t you have anything else to provide? Like which parts are valued or how to hunt them?”

“That’ll be two silver crowns.” She collected the sum with a light smile before offering the requested information. “The meat and guts are always in high demand, because the guts tend to dilate and explode shortly after death. The guts juices are corrosive and poisonous and taint any meat they touch within seconds. Horns and skulls are popular trophies.”

“What about their behavior or the method to hunt them?”

“Do I look like a Warrior to you? Unless you want to ask me the best way to cook their meat, I’m afraid I won’t be of any help. Will that be all?” Her tone implied she’d very much like it to be so.

“Weel, this isn’t much to go on. Thank you for time.”

“A waitress will bring your plate in a few minutes, have a nice meal.” Her smile was devoid of warmth.

“I will.” The food looked nice… much unlike the staff.

“What did you learn?” Enquired Nadia as they sat.

“There’s a herd of aurochs about half-a-day north. Since they’re large bovine monster, we should expect them to stampede but that’s all I know... Besides how great the meat tasted.”

“Was it really that good?” Monster, whether animal or plants, tended to be a lot tastier and nourishing than their normal counterpart.

“It must have been considering you ate an entire pound for lunch.” They only had it once, when a large successful hunt made the price drop quite a bit.

Remembering the taste got her motivated. “This isn’t much information to go, but I think I can make use of the rivers to pick them from afar.”

“I don’t know it applies, but I saw a bunch of cows swim once and they were pretty fast.”

“I wouldn’t have expected that.”

“Never did I! We were all panicking, but the damn things weren’t even remotely disturbed.”

“Then?”

“It sounds doable but get ready to run. Remember they’re monsters and not your average cow.” If a monster rabbit was a match for a fox, what kind of strength should they expect from a monstrous Bison?

“What’s a monster?” As a student residing in a peaceful society, she’d grown a lot more inquisitive.

“Good question but let me ask you one in return, what’s a Warrior?” She’d done a lot a reading since a few years ago.

This put Nadia in a bind, as a Warrior herself she knew she was stronger other humans, but not why. Suddenly, an idea surfaced. “You don’t mean they Warriors, but animals?”

“That’s the most prevalent theory. It’s not like anyone know what really differentiate a Warrior. Physically, everyone is the same.” At least, as far as their current technology could tell.

“It makes all sort of sense. A lot of monsters don’t act any different from their normal brethren, until they try to tear your head off that is.” I was an experience every rim born shared, for some, it was also their last.

“Dessert?” Bhurke’s daughter was as disagreeable as they get but her food bore no sin.

“Let’s pick up some with the provisions.” Proposed Nadia, who’d made a list of cheap treats she wanted to try out.

“I'll take care of the cart and supplies, you handle our gear and dessert. Leet’s meet me up at the school gate.”

“Leave it to me.” She headed toward the school at a rapid (but legal) pace.

It was morning when they reached their destination. All over the horizon were so many bovines you couldn’t see the ground.

“She was right, you can’t miss them.” Commented Nadia in a small voice, her breath taken by the sight.

“This is on the level of a roaming landmark.” This was no exaggeration as there were Bison as far as the eye could see.

“How many hundreds there are?” There was a hint of fear in her voice.

“You mean thousands, don’t you?” Retorted her friend, just as shaken by the sight.

“That was an incredible sight. I’m glad we came. Let us get back.”

Varisa breathed a sigh of relief. “Veni, vidi, victus. I agree, proceeding with the plan is insanity.”

“What language is that? What does that mean?”

“It’s the old Cardinal empire’s tongue. It means, I came, I saw, I was vanquished.” Nadia frowned and Varisa immediately regretted her words. Never speak of defeat to a Warrior. “Don’t you see the size of these things? They’re twice as large as a cow.” With one major difference, most of it was muscle.

“Yeah, at least.” Her tone lacked conviction, and it frightened her friend.

“Imagine a stamped of those things? A stone ape would be reduced to a stain on the ground within seconds.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m not putting myself in front of… That!” The ape reference worked.

“Come, get back in, we’re leaving.” The young woman taped the seat beside her.

“I can’t do it.” Repeated Nadia over and over to convince herself, but her instincts weren’t letting her to go.

“I spied some Caerbannogs earlier” Also known as death hare; they were deceptively vicious monster in the shape of rabbits. The danger didn’t come from their strength though, but from their unquenchable bloodthirst; they’d kill, eat and reproduce until there was nothing left to eat, then turn against one another. A weak monster with the disastrous effect for the ecology.

“Mistress, you really don’t mind if we turn back without even trying after coming all this way?”

“I don’t, not in the least.” She waved her arm at the monstrous herd of giants. “It’d be weird to not be afraid when faced with this.”

“I am not afraid!” Protested Nadia in defiance of the facts. “I just know my limits.”

Varisa bit her lips, Fear wasn’t another touchy topic with Warrior. “I’m saying that bitch at the tavern set us up, and we don’t have the number. No point in staying, right?”

“Caerbannogs? Do you think I’m a coward.” Vociferated the huntress.

“I know you aren’t, and you know it’s best to kill them on sight.”

Nadia roared. “I’ll do it! I’ll hunt those damn Aurochs! I’ll show you I’m no coward!”

Varisa blanked out for an instant. “Please don’t!”

“I won’t fail you, milady!”

“H... How the heck do you get to that from what I’ve been saying?! You aren’t failing anyone! I don’t want you anywhere near those things!”

“I have the perfect plan. I know what I’m doing.”

It was like talking to wall... No, it was much worse than that, at least the echo didn’t reinterpret your words. “Just be careful not to get hurt, okay?”

“My victory is assured!”

Varisa recovered her bow alongside some arrows and proceeded to follow the death hares’ trails. She didn’t want to watch.

Nadia also picked up her bow, a few quivers and a long spear before declaring full of vigor “I’m going, milady!”

Said lady was long gone, though. Not that it mattered, her boiling Warrior’s blood controlled all her actions.

The huntress took position on the furthest side of the river. At this point, the stream was over seventy paces large and at least seven paces deep and then the current was also so strong she had to put on some effort just to remain standing. It was without doubt the perfect place.

She stabbed her spear into the ground and readied her bow. The first arrow struck into one of the mighty bovine neck, sending the mighty creature in a frenzied charge against… Nothing really, it simply tore apart at whatever was in sight.

The surrounding Auroch quicly followed suit. Soon, there were dozens of stampedes each aimed at their own random direction and little by little, they joined into larger column of deathly rampage. Although random in appearance, it was the herds reforming.

Luck seemed to favor the huntress as a small group started running alongside the river, right in front of her. Deftly, she launched more arrows and felled beast after beast.

Without warning, the herd arced its path towards her, to cross the river. It was clear the monsters weren’t interested in fleeing. Quite the contrary, now that they’d found a target they were entirely intent on crush her under their hoof.

She killed and maimed seven more, but the remaining giants stomped over them without a care. Nadia put the bow into her enchanted backpack and readied her spear.

Each of her strike was fast and precise, but nothing could stifle the bovine tide, not even a wall of their dead.

It was time to change strategy. With a cuss, she jumped on the back of the most massive creature she could see. Although in the middle of swimming, it attempted to roll on the side but was blocked by the animals around it.

Alas, her she hadn’t accounted for the giants’ madness. She barely had time to jump on another before her involuntary mount was gored by its brethren. There lied the truth of their mind-numbing numbers: between their mindless violence and toxicity few creatures ever lived to enjoy their meal.

“Freaking crazy insane assholes, they don’t give a rat’s ass about collateral damage.” Cursed Nadia as she precariously jumped from one animal’s back to another.

Most of the monsters already lied dead, mostly from infighting, but what was left was just as manically devoted on stomping her to oblivion as ever. To make matter worse, other herds had already crossed and were running intently towards her.

Finally, reason won, and she did what she should have done from the very beginning; she ran away.

It was night when she encountered a cart moving slowly down the road. It was filled with glowing meat. She sped forward, hopeful. “Varisa, is that you?”

The wagon stopped. A small figure jumped down, to charge toward her with tremendous speed... Only to sock her in the face. “You stupid moronic idiot of a woman. Don’t you know how worried I was? Do you?!”

“Sorry...” There was nothing else she could say. It was entirely her fault from start to finish.

“Are you? Really?” Acting contrite wasn't the same as learning of her mistake.

“Did you recover all this?” Asked Nadia to deviate the conversation.

“I did. While I waited for you. For hours, I didn’t know if you were dead!” She wasn’t going to let it go this easily.

“What about the glow, though?”

“A preservation spell, as you very well know. Stop trying to change the subject, I’m still angry at you.”

“Sorry. I swear I was never in any real danger. They had me run leagues before they finally let go, though.” And this hadn’t been easy terrain either.

Unbeknownst to them, it was the right was to hunt Aurochs. With lures and recovery groups acting separately. Frenzied bison ran after whatever animal caught their sight, but the calm ones couldn’t care less about the fate of their companions’ carcass.

“I only found three usable carcasses. The reset had been trampled down, and I couldn’t look into the river.” Even with the right precautions most of the quarries ended this way, it was quite frankly down to luck that she found anything usable.

“This is that damn woman’s fault.” Complained Nadia. Although not entirely inaccurate, it very much glossed over her own responsibility in the matter.

Varisa reluctantly agreed. “She got us good.” Admittedly, the only reason she recovered the corpses was so she could smear their victory all over the wench’s face.

Much later, at the Hunting Lodge tavern.

“Hi, Bhurke. Long time no see.”

“Hi Varissa.” Responded the one-armed giant of a man sitting behind the counter. He couldn't have been a true giant for his skin wasn’t the right color. “What the heck are you carrying?”

“A fine Auroch’s skull as you can see. It’s a gift for your daughter.”

The very notion made him laugh heartily. “Her? She hates anything to do with hunter. She’d even pass on opportunities to make more of her beloved money to screw one over.”

“As I've learned. I’ll let you have it for free on the condition you display it somewhere she can see.”

“Deal! On the condition you tell me what she did?” Free stuff or not, he was curious.

“Thanks to her, my friend had the mighty unpleasant time of running from a herd Aurochs for half-a-day.”

“Isn’t that your friend’s fault?”

“While I can’t deny my friend acted like a complete moron, your daughter purposedly held out important information.”

“Tsk… She can be such a pain at time.” He shook his head. “No, scratch that. She’s a pain, period. She hates me and all hunters by extension. She couldn’t be happier if I kicked the bucket and left her this tavern.”

“Let me guess. Absent much? Little money sent home?”

“I might also have spent some quality time with women and alcohol.” He didn’t seem the least regretful.

“I knew you weren’t the nicest of man, but it sounds like you’re both a terrible husband, and a horrible father.”

“My wife was only married me to have me buy her this tavern. I don't think my daughter is mine, either.”

“Stop! Please stop, let us talk about something else, it’s too depressing. Did you get the information I asked?”

“Sort of, some friends looked into it, and you were right about your folks.” He laughed snidely. “As you’d expect, with their negotiation skill they got absolutely fleeced...”

Varisa sighed, somehow her day had gotten even worse.